What's Happening With My Second Batch Of Kombucha

It's to 8 days now and there is definitely a different smell coming from my under stairs cupboard. my first batch began with a brand new Scoby without a reasonable amount of nutrient just some Apple Cider Vinegar to give it a boost. Well this batch has had the left overs, about 200ml from the bottom of my container to give it a good start. With the addition of the new arrival, the baby Scoby, both seem very happy and hence the lovely smell. I've taken a sample and tested using my Ph strip(see my testing bellow) and it changed straight away to yellow. So it will be back to bottling and preparing for my next batch.

Kombucha Books Of Interest

Have a look at the Book Shop I've created that has a selection of interesting books about Kombucha. If you want to return to this page, click on the Navigation Button to bring you right back.

Yes! The Wife Likes It!!

In the past when I first started making Kombucha, I probably let the fermentation go a wee bit too far. It became more acetic as vinegar is. Not a problem as it was still drinkable. The wife however, didn't find it too palatable. This time I have kept a closer eye on it and she and I have a half a glass first thing in the morning giving it a good 20-30 mins before we sit down to breakfast.


To have this first thing in the morning is a major benefit as the stomach is empty so the kombucha can enter the digestive system quicker and start doing it's job sooner.


I find that it helps me wake up and gives my day a good kick start.


Now, my wife has been trying to lose weight since giving birth to two lovely daughters and it is a sore and emotional topic as I am sure most of you ladies that are reading can appreciate and any of you gents that have gained weight over the years. She has been to many diet classes and tried many different ways of losing weight.


Yes, I'm a bloke and I am fortunate enough not to be in a position where weight becomes an issue. But what I did notice and was advised about when I first began to make and drink this wonder drink Kombucha, was that it has an amazing ability to allow your body to naturally rid itself of toxins and help assimilate or burn fat quicker.


I had gained an extra stone over a period of some months and my jeans were a bit uncomfortable. Over about a month or so of drinking a half a glass in the mornings, I did notice my jeans fitting more comfortably and my weight and dropped by several pounds. Nothing had changed in the way I went about my daily business so naturally came to the conclusion that this drink has something to do with it.


So now that the wife has been drinking Kombucha and enjoying it, she even took a glass after finishing a night shift before going to bed, I'm hoping that she will get some fantastic results.


Our intentions are not to change our lifestyle with of course the exception of drinking Kombucha in the mornings. If after a month there are improvements, then we will probably increase the dose to another half glass before lunch.


Please be aware that for the body to get rid of toxins efficiently, you must ensure that you are taking your daily amount of water - 8 glasses. This helps that flushing process from becoming sluggish and keeps all your vital organs hydrated.


Here's to good health.

Kombucha Brew A Few Days Later

After a few more days fermenting, 9 days in total, I took a sample and checked the Ph level then gave it a taste. Looking at the sample, it is almost wine like in colour. Looking closer still, you can just make out some of the by-products of the process. As for the Ph, the previous sample was in the purple zone indicating the need for a few more days wait. This sample on the other hand is definitely between 3.0 and 2.8 if not 2.8. On tasting I have a slightly effervescent sensation on the tongue and a not too sweet a taste. 

Watch this video of mine about my progress:

Here is a picture of the bottles I have been using with the Kombucha liquor inside. Please take note of the gap at the top of the beverage. Whilst the bottle can take 500ml, I fill to about 450ml as the beverage still gives off Carbon Dioxide so pressure will build up inside. The gap allows for this build up.

You will find that as the Kombucha matures over time in the bottle, it may taste a little sour and more effervescent. Mix with fruit juice or add a little cordial to give it a lift. The Kombucha still holds all the natural goodness you'd expect.

Storage:

Keep your beverage stored somewhere cool and dark, like the garage and when you are drinking it, keep the bottle in the fridge.

5 Compelling Reasons Why Green Tea Should Be Part of Your Daily Diet

Whilst I am waiting for the Kombucha to finish it's process, I thought this article would be of interest to you:

Green tea has been a part of eastern culture for thousands of years and the health benefits that people see are varied and in some cases dramatic. Those benefits range from weight loss to lowering of cholesterol to disease prevention. Here  are some compelling reasons to drink green tea:

1.) Weight Loss

Studiies are showing that consumption of this drink increases thermogenesis (or fat burning) by using it's  antioxidant  epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG ) to stimulate the release of fat in to the blood stream and which is then flushed out of the body. Studies are showing that green tea weight loss happens because it helps to speed up your metabolism by as much as 43%. Other studies are showing that the polyphenols in it help to reduce hunger pains as well.

2.) Lowering of  Cholesterol

Research is showing that drinking it can help to lower cholesterol and it is believed to work by inhibiting lipids absorption in the digestive tract. Also, studies are finding (as mentioned before) that EGCG, an antioxidant, helps to release fats in to the blood stream which are removed as waste from the body.

3.) Diabetes Protection/Blood Sugar Control

A study out of Japan in 2006 showed that those folks that drank 6 cups daily had less of a chance to develop diabetes than those that drank 1 cup per week. Also, another study out of Japan showed that in those people that are considered borderline or pre-diabetic, green tea consumption lowered the hemoglobin A1c levels, which is  a measurement of the glucose levels in the blood.

4.) Cardiovascular Health

The antioxidants, primarily ECGC or epigallocatechin gallate, found in green tea promote heart health by providing anti-inflammatory, antithrombogenic effects. ECGC helps to prevent heart muscle damage by blocking inflammatory chemicals that produce oxidation and destroy heart cells during a heart attack.  Also, it is believed that green tea antioxidants can help restore heart cells following a heart attack.

Also, researchers say that there is evidence to suggest that it is beneficial for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis, which is the build up plaque in the arteries. ECGC helps to lower LDL cholesterol as well as triglycerides and some free radicals. When cholesterol becomes oxidized, it's surface becomes rigid or sticky which in turns can cause it to adhere to the walls of the arteries.

5.) Anti-Aging Effects

Because green tea is a rich source of antioxidants, which are responsible for neutralizing free radicals, it is not surprising that so many different health benefits can occur including anti-aging effects. Free radicals cause oxidation which is the aging and death of cells. Rust is a perfect example of oxidation. If the protective coat on a car is damaged or removed eventually oxidation will take a toll and the metal will become oxidized. The same thing happens to our cells. When free radicals attack our cells, they can become damaged which can eventually lead to disease. Green tea is rich in antioxidants like ECGC which neutralize free radicals and in turn help to prevent premature aging and disease.

A study out of Japan analyzed data collected over an 11 year period with over 40,000 participants, ages 40-79. All of the participants were considered healthy, this is that they were void of diseases such as heart disease, stroke and cancer. After the 11 year study was completed it was found that those who consumed 5 cups of green tea per day had a much lower risk of death from all causes (with the exception of cancer) especially cardiovascular related diseases and stroke.

In eastern cultures, green tea has become a staple of the Asian diet and while we can't say that green tea is the only reason why their rates of diseases like heart disease and cancer are less, it is safe to conclude that the consumption green tea on a daily basis is a contributing factor as to why their overall health is much better than that of western cultures.

My name is Carey Dodson and I have studied the impacts of good nutrition on health for the last 10 years. If you are ready to learn how green tea and weight loss can impact your life then visit my website to learn more! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carey_Dodson

How Is The Green Tea Kombucha Coming On?

It has been just 5 days since I started my batch of Green Tea Kombucha and already the level (bare in mind I was making a triple batch (6 Litres)) has dropped down to 5 1/2 Litres. This is a result of 1. the temperature of the Kombucha process and 2. the Kombucha needs to drink too. Later on today I will be taking a sample to test for Ph and taste. If you can remember from the video below, I'm looking for a Ph of 3.0 using the Ph strips. I'm also look for a not too sweet a taste with a slight 'zing' to it. 

As I am doing a triple batch, I'm not expecting the Kombucha to be ready just yet. Hopefully though, the conditions that it has been in, dark space in the warmth (heat pad), the culture should be 'happy' and could possibly be ready. We shall see.


Looking at these pictures below, you can see from the glass, a lovely clean sample with a slight sediment from the Kombucha. This is entirely normal. As for the Ph, the sample part at the center of the strip, is showing a purple sign around about 4.0. So not quite ready. As for the taste, it is still sweet and not quite got that tingle or zing. So I'll come back to this after a couple more days.

Do Not Spend A fortune!

Making Kombucha is easy. It is not 'Rocket Science' in the slightest. As with any new venture, there are always the initial spend to get things going. For instance, the hot plate, the vessel, the tea, sugar, and the vinegar and the Scoby itself and some bottles to store it in You could even go that little bit further and have installed an under sink filter unit for your tap water. But once you have all the these items it will cost pence/cents to make.


I bought one book recommended by a friend: Kombucha - Miracle Fungus, the Essential Handbook by Harald Tietze, ISBN 1-85860-042-1. It is a very good read and gives some interesting anecdotal evidence of it's benefits. There are also other ingredients that you can play with for different flavours.

A Reminder

WARNING/DISCLAIMER:

I must stress that it is advisable to seek professional medical advice before attempting to drink Kombucha. Every person has different experiences with the product and should cease consumption if any symptoms persist. Pregnant or Lactating women should contact their Mid-wife or health practitioner before consumption.

Making of Green Tea Kombucha

How I came across Kombucha

I first came across Kombucha via our local Supermarket. They had a commercial product by a Latin name that read pretty well. So I bought it and enjoyed it as a refreshing drink. But it wasn't until I was at my new job in a fabrication workshop that I happened to asked what a friend of mine had in his bottle.

'This is Kombucha' he said. 'I make it at home, want to try some?' So I did. It tasted like a scrumpy cider, very close to turning into vinegar. 'How did you get into this then?' I asked. He began telling me about one of our other work mates who was away at the time. He introduce the beverage to him as my friend was an avid home brewer of wine and pretty much anything. When he heard about the health benefits he thought at 50, he'd give it a go.

He'd been making it over the last couple of months and been drinking it pretty regularly. When our mutual colleague returned, he explained about  it a bit more. It had me interested and intrigued. He said it has different effects on everyone. He found that he had a regular morning constitutional and it stripped him of fat. One thing he did say was that you had to make sure that you drank plenty of water during the day to assist in getting rid off all the toxins that the Kombucha removes from your body. As an engineer, I could imagine what toxins and rubbish were laying inside a body after 30yrs or so of abuse. So I continued asked about getting started and our mutual friend said he has a spare brewing kit if i want to buy it off him. So I did.

I went to town and bought myself a couple of books on the subject and was extremely amazed about the Kombucha drink and its combination with green tea and this thing called a Scoby(Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast). I started my first brew/batch and began with a 2ltr amount. He and the books said that you can do multiple quantities so I continued to make triple brews in the one container.

After the first 5 days, I gave the brew a taste. I was really surprised, pleasantly so. Still a wee bit sweet but you could tell that it was fermenting as there was a slight effervescence and the colour had turned to a clear almost wine like appearance. I checked the Ph as recommended by the books and when I got a Ph of 3.0, I was ready to bottle. I used the standard brown brewers bottles with the integral cap and got about 6 bottles made. I stored them in one of our cooler cupboards and put one in the fridge before making my next batch.

I got into quite a routine. I started every morning with half a wine glass full first thing on an empty stomach then continued with a normal breakfast after getting washed and dressed. It gives the drink a chance to enter you body after 20mins and start doing its thing. I must confess that the first 5 days were somewhat unpleasant as I had many visits to the bathroom but I persevered continuing with my daily intake of water(2 ltrs/day, 8 glasses). After about a week I was having one morning constitutional and I felt pretty good.

I only stayed with the one glass in the morning and on visiting my mum, she noticed that I'd lost a lot of weight but not to the extent that I looked unhealthy. I wasn't exactly big at 6ft and 13 and 1/2 stone with a 34" waist but I weigh myself and yep i had lost a stone and down to a 33" waist.

I stopped making the brew for a bout 3 years now since I spend a lot of my time at sea. Now I have finished that job I have some time at home to getting back into it. I've put a Video together in the hope it might at least create a bit of curiosity of how to make a batch.

WARNING/DISCLAIMER:

I must stress that it is advisable to seek professional medical advice before attempting to drink Kombucha. Every person has different experiences with the product and should cease consumption if any symptoms persist. Pregnant or Lactating women should contact their Mid-wife or health practitioner before consumption.